‘Would you seriously want that or a heterosexual family? Which would be more healthy for the child?

‘A caring loving home is a heterosexual or single family. I don’t believe [a gay couple] is healthy for a child.’

His homophobic tirade comes amid controversy over Rotherham Council’s decision to remove three young children from their foster parents because the couple were UKIP members.

The party’s candidate in the northern English town’s recent by-election won votes on the back of public outrage about the story.

Action for Children, a charity which supports adoption and fostering services in the UK, claims gay parents can and do make good parents.

Jane Butler, service development manager for Action for Children, said: ‘Social workers tell us that LGBT adopters have significant strengths when it comes to adoption, particularly the energy and enthusiasm that they show as well their openness to difference.

‘Over the years, our LGBT foster carers and adopters have helped to transform many children’s lives and we welcome more applications from LGBT people.’